Taken In Hand
by ursweetheartless
Summary: Mustang took a deep breath and steeled his will before he stepped out of the car after his friend Maes Hughes. RoyxEd, Ms, Ds, Yaoi, MM formatting fixed! Now with less pain and confusion! :D
1. Part 1: Gifts Given Freely

Title: Taken In Hand br  Author: ursweetheartles (me!) br  Rating: here R br  Warnings: D/s, M/s, shouta, AU, slavery, unbeta'd but spelling and grammar checked br br

Part 1: Gifts Given Freely br

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Mustang took a deep breath and steeled his will before he stepped out of the car after his friend Maes Hughes. It had been the other man's idea to come out here to the auctions while he was visiting Mustang in the east, and look at all the merchandise. Roy was uncomfortable here, as he always was, but he humored his friend and always came out with him anyways. Hughes smirked cooly as he gripped the tall bag of popcorn he had bought on the way here, tossing some into his mouth before idly offering the bag to Roy, who took it without thinking, filling his own mouth with the crunchy kernels. Maybe it will help to settle my stomach if I put something in it, the man thought, though he knew he would continue to have that twisting feeling in his gut until they left.

He didn't know why it bothered him, to come out like this. He'd been out here many times, and he'd never bought anything much, only a couple of useless trinkets from the flea market that perpetually ran outside the auction tent. He knew the routine well by now. In the first part of the auction there was the small livestock, then the larger livestock. This was usually politely ignored by the crowds, only the farmers from outside of east city payed any attention to them, drawing them out for much longer than they needed to be for the spectacle of the preparation for the real show.

There was always an intermission between the auctions, where the livestock was herded out of the ring, and those farmers who weren't staying for the main event would collect their purchases and leave. Then the real merchandise was brought out, divided by age and gender, always in two lines, right arms bound to the rope that connected them, forcing them to stay single file and orderly. Each one wore a card around their neck, with a lot number on it, and it was customary during this intermission for the audience to file by the quivering lines and inspect each one, those seriously interested in making a purchase jotting down numbers and descriptions. 

Roy jumped when his friend grabbed his arm, pulling him down towards the already lined up stock, being led out in front of the stage area now. Hughes always did this, dragging him down to chat offhandedly with him while he prodded each one, sometimes checking eyes or teeth, all the while lecturing Roy on what you wanted to look for or avoid in your purchase. 

"You see that there? There's spotting on the gums, and that's never good, is it? Thats a sign of an oral disease, and you wouldn't want to get something like that without knowing exactly what you're getting yourself into. You'd wanna bring a doctor around if you were interested, see if it was easily treatable if you want to bother with something like that." The man happily chattered, tossing back his crunchy snack merrily, hoisting some off on Mustang every once and awhile. Roy mostly just watched, rather detached, ignoring his dear friend's prattle. He didn't intend to make a purchase while he was here, or ever really. It was a whole lot of responsibility, and he enjoyed living by himself much too much to give it up, even for convenience sake. He let his eyes trail disinterestedly along the line of merchandise before him, just counting down the minutes until he could be out of the faintly stinking, crowded tent and off towards home.

His eyes caught on something then though, a flash of red in the line, unusual as the color was brighter than anything around it. It drew Mustang's bored eyes, until they were staring into pools of liquid amber, seemingly endlessly deep. The contact seemed to last forever, but in reality it was only a second before the head to which the eyes belonged was rapped soundly with a long stick, a handler scowling as he shouted,

"You know the rules boy, eyes down. eyes always down." The boy looked down then, a slight flush coloring his cheeks, and it didn't take long for Maes to reach out a hand and grab the boy's cheeks, turning his head to inspect it closely, like he did with any of them Roy showed interest in. 

"This one looks pretty healthy, Roy. The eyes are clear, thats a good sign, and the skin is still smooth, if a little dirty. The hair's a little greasy there, a bit longer than i'd go for but it can always be cut to a more manageable length. All in all I bet he'd clean up real good, with a little time." The man squeezed the tanned cheeks then, forcing the boy's mouth open slightly, to inspect his teeth. "See Roy? A bit yellow here, but look, the gums are all uniformly pink and spongy. Thats a sign of good oral health." Mustang shook his head, smiling slightly.

"Maes, what is with you and this teeth thing lately?" The man balked, and started in on another lecture, this time on the importance of oral health. Roy just continued smiling, ignoring the man's words but letting the sound lull him slightly. He felt his mind drift back to those amber eyes, the firm set of the jaw, the bright something that had lurked there. But he just sighed in the end, knowing he wouldn't bid, he never bid.

It took a jostle to his side from Hughes for him to realize the man had been speaking to him. His friend's face was smirking then, as Roy looked up slightly dazed, "What?" he said, trying to sound like he had been paying some attention. The man just shook his head.

"I was talking about this promotion you're up for, now im not really supposed to say anything, but its down to you and one other guy, but he doesn't have much of a chance at this point. He's not an alchemist, and he's been falling off lately at work, and it stands to figure that he'll never stand up against a decorated war hero such as yourself. I'd say its pretty much in the bag for you at this point." The man shoved some more popcorn into his mouth, nearing the end of the bag. He sighed. "This means you'll have to move back to Central City, you know. If you accept it I mean. But why wouldn't you, there isn't much out here to keep you tied down, and you could ask for your subordinates to transfer out with you. It'd be nice to have you in town again, I miss being able to hang out with you like this all the time." Roy smiled, more of a self satisfied smirk really.

"Well, there really wasn't much contest for that promotion, no one can even touch me there you know. I'll be happy to get back to Central too, I miss it out there, I miss you guys and all. Its much too quiet out here in the east, nothing worth anything ever happens." He hadn't really been sure about the promotion until now, and he knew Maes knew that, but he still felt like bragging now was well within his rights. But he looked back up and he saw something in his friends eyes that made him nervous.

"Once you get back to Central, won't be more than a week or two, right? But you should get a nice house, one of those brownstones near the center of town, over by the park. There are a lot of officers who live over there, its a good neighborhood." Roy stood, trying to figure out what his friend was up to when the auction started. He tapped Maes on the shoulder, gesturing vaguely towards the concession stands outside. He didn't like the actual auction, and he always avoided it when they came. It was too loud and chaotic for him, he preferred to wait outside until Maes had burned up his energy. He usually didn't make Roy sit through the whole thing, but he'd done it before. 

Mustang browsed through the flea market, now that it had quieted, almost everyone gathered around the spectacle that was the auction. He always enjoyed looking through the trinkets spread across the tables, the furniture, the boxes of books, each piece somehow having an air of holding someone else's memories. It wasn't like he found something he wanted to own very often, usually if he did it was some alchemy book or a sturdy piece of heirloom furniture, but now that he practically knew he was on his way to central city, he knew he would need some new furniture, as he would almost certainly move somewhere bigger than the two bedroom apartment by the base he lived in now. It was tiny, but it was right next to work, and it functioned for what he needed out of it. He would almost be sad to leave it. Almost.

He heard the bustle behind him of the auction getting out and he turned. He was kind of annoyed when he didn't see Maes in that first wave, it meant he had to wait around for him and it would take forever to get out of here. It also meant he had probably made a purchase, something he had done before, but he usually never kept them for very long, as something was always found at fault by his wife, Gracia, and they were resold after a week or two. That always meant complaining over the phone, Maes always saying his wife should be glad for the help around the house, to take care of their daughter.

Roy rolled his eyes as the crowd thinned out and he had yet to see his friend's face. He had bought something alright, and now Roy would have to deal with dragging it home and keeping it for the next couple days until Maes left for central again. Then again, it might be nice to get some things around the house done, maybe he could get help with the packing. Roy wondered around back, forcing a disinterested scowl onto his face when he neared the exits, where the stock was being distributed in numerical order to the person who had made the highest bid. This was where the actual purchase took place, and where the money was exchanged. Many people haggled a little in the end, trying to get the price dropped for some minor imperfection or another. He scanned the small crowd for Hughes' face, but didn't see it. 

"Hey Roy!" the familiar voice made him jump. The man was not an intelligence agent for nothing, and he was very good and sneaking up on you. Roy rubbed his temples as he turned around, opening his mouth to chide the other man, but was interrupted before he could even start. "Since you're moving out to central and all, and you're gonna have a bigger place there, I though maybe I'd get you a little something useful, unlike all the dishes and flatware and crap people will give you at the housewarming party. I did tell you Gracia plans to throw you a housewarming party, right?" His eyes snapped over to the man, who was holding on of the leather leads in his hand, leading to the collar of the boy who made Mustang's heart stop. Amber eyes were now downcast, jaw set in an expression of quiet fortitude, cheeks tanned but paling, like he was used to being outside all the time, but lately hadn't seen much sun. Maes came back from his blabbering about his wife's part ideas when he saw Roy watching the boy intently. "Yeah, I saw you looking at him inside, and I thought this would be the perfect time for you to get yourself some help, especially when you move into that big new house. I figure with a few lessons he can probably make a decent cook and clean up around the place." He leaned into Roy conspiratorially, lowering his voice to a mock whisper then, "And he's not to bad looking either, might make some nice decoration if you know what I mean..."

Maes smirked more as his friend colored slightly, sputtering quietly at the implication. It was a fact he kept to himself that he liked men a little better than women, but it wasn't something he'd been able to keep from Maes. Especially considering that many a night in the academy he had found himself flat on his back beneath the other man. but Maes had found Gracia and they both had moved on from there, Maes having moved the furthest, settling down to marry the dear woman sometime last year, and now they were trying for a baby, a fact the man never tired of talking about. 

Roy sighed, but cast sidelong looks at the blonde boy, all wrapped up in black, a faded and dirty red coat hanging off his shoulders. He really was attractive, despite the silver gleam at his neckline that indicated automail. Maes knew what to look for in his purchases, he'd give the man that, and he knew what Roy liked. It was clear that the man meant for Roy to take this gift as more than just a household convenience. He sighed, sometimes Maes tried to look after him in ways that made Roy want to slap him. Just because he wasn't married or in a serious relationship, okay any sort of relationship, did not mean he needed something like this to relieve the tensions. Though, he wouldn't mind it in the end, especially for the help with the impending move.

X

Maes stepped out of the car, handing the leather lead to Mustang so that he could waived the military car off, sending it back to base with a small tip for the driver for having put up with them all night. Roy took the opportunity to study the boy some more. He thought the first thing he would do was bathe the boy, get that grime off of his skin and the grease from his hair. Maes had brought up the possibility of cutting it, but Roy was actually quite fond of it's current length, though he might have to get the boy to bind it back when he was working around, so as not to get it in his face and such. 

He unlocked the door to his apartment, leading the boy inside, and leaving the door open for Maes who was trailing slightly behind. When the man's face appeared in the doorway he smiled, leering slightly at Mustang.

"You two look good together! The guy there said he has a clean bill of health, and he can understand english fine, he just doesn't speak much. He knows how to do housework, but that wasn't his top selling point if you catch my drift." The man leered again, then backed himself into the kitchen and grabbed two beers from the fridge, popping on open on the spot and chugging a bit before walking the other over to Roy.

"Hey Maes, why don't you settle in on the couch, I'm gonna make sure the boy gets a bath and some clean clothes, I can't let him wonder around my house like this. Then we can have a little talk..." 

X

Edward let himself be led upstairs quietly. He had heard the man's tone, this new Roy to whom he had been given. It didn't sound like he was thrilled with the acquisition, like he didn't want someone like him here. It made the boy swallow. This was the kind of house most of the slaves he had been with would kill to get into, and he knew he couldn't fuck this up. It was too good. Besides, he had heard the thinly veiled threats thrown his way when he was sent out to the auction: if he was returned, if he didn't make his new master glad he'd brought him home, they would find his brother themselves, and he would not be glad for it. The blonde focused on Alphonse's face in his mind as he climbed the stairs, ready to do anything in his power to convince the man he wanted to keep him around.

The bathroom door swinging open brought him to the present once again, and he followed the man in with only a slight tug on the lead. The man sat on the edge of the tub then, fiddling with the water taps and testing the temperature before filling the large bath with hot water, tipping a little soap in from a jar on the shelf beside him. Once it was on its way he turned back to Edward, who quickly averted his eyes once more, standing at attention: hands clasped in front of him, head down, back straight. Mustang reached forward then, and touched his cheek softly, the blonde fighting to stay still under the tender fingers. They traced the boy's chin quickly though, falling to his neck, tracing the thick leather collar worn there to the clasp in the back, quickly unbuckling it. This confused Edward, the collar was symbolic, and it hadn't been removed since he had been taken in for training. He winced a little as the gentle fingers traced the now tender skin beneath it, the man shaking his head slightly.

"Why don't we get you into the water now, see if we can't clean you up a bit." It was a tentative command, but a command nonetheless, and Edward complied immediately. His hands went to the red fabric of the coat, watching the man from the corner of his eyes to gauge his reaction to the skin revealed. If the man desired him in a sexual way this would all be a whole lot easier. When the red coat fell away to reveal the tight black clothing underneath all looked good, but he hesitated a second over the hem of his shirt. He was concerned about revealing the automail. He hated the metal limbs, thought they were heavy and ugly and clunky, even as they allowed him to move normally. If the man disliked the limbs all would be lost, he would have hope of being useful as a household servant and not much else. But as the metal of his shoulder port and arm came into view, the man started slightly, but his expression did not change much. This could be good. br br   It was at the buckle of his belt that he focused on the man intently again. He saw the man dart his gaze away and he thought all was lost but as he slid the black leather of the pants down over his hips he felt the man's eyes on him again, though the face was pointed away. He felt a small jump of hope in his stomach, this could work out in the end after all. He let the leather fall to the floor and bent forwards to tug the ends of the pant legs past his feet, then stood again, naked now before glancing expectantly over at the man. br br   "R-right, well then, get in the tub so we can get you cleaned up." This was a firmer command than the last, which made Edward all the more comfortable in following it. He knew it would turn out better if the man learned to give commands well, if he fell comfortably into taking charge of the situation. He had an aura of control around him, and as a now General in the military he should be used to giving commands in a professional sense at this point. Edward hoped it wouldn't take him too long to realize this potential in his private as well.

The boy flinched slightly at the temperature of the water but sunk into it anyways, allowing the heat to soothe his muscles and loosen the tension in his limbs. He let his eyes fall closed then, and was thus surprised when a washcloth touched his back gently. He jumped away from the touch slightly startled, but mentally beat himself for it when the hand was withdrawn. He let out a small keening noise and opened his eyes, pleading with the man to bring the cloth back, and he did, hesitantly at first, but as the boy leaned into the touches now they became firmer, more comforting and less tentative. Edward enjoyed the feeling of the cloth on his shoulders and back, spreading the soap on his skin and rubbing it clean gently. He waited patiently until the man had finished all of his back that was in reach before he moved slightly, facing the man now, so that he could clean his chest. Edward leaned back then, dipping his hair beneath the water, and coming up with it dripping down over his shoulders.

Mustang took this as an invitation to drop the cloth into the water in front of the boy and grab some of the soap off the shelf. He worked in between his hands briefly before bringing it to the blonde hair, now hanging heavy and loose around the boy's face. Edward couldn't stop the small purr that came when the man started to massage the suds into his scalp, trying to resist the urge to snuggle into those hands. This was a sure and gentle touch the boy was no used to, none of the trainers or handlers had treated him with such care. He had been just one more piece of merchandise to them, and it was clear that this man found him more precious than that.

The hands left his scalp entirely to soon for Edward's liking, one combing gently through the hair, the other pushing him backwards lightly on the forehead, guiding his head back under the water to rinse his hair. When eh sat back up, the locks seemed brighter. He opened his eyes to look at the man, he had pushed his sleeves up and was now wet up to the elbows from the sweetly scented bath-water. His face was beautiful then, the hesitancy of the ride home had vanished, a sense of care taking its place. The eyes were deep and soft, and the hair was mussed delightfully, falling every which way on his head. It made the boy's breath catch for just a second. The man leaned forwards then, closing the distance between them to lay a quick kiss on the boy's open mouth. It was chaste and light, but the boy still closed his eyes, receiving it like a baptism or benediction. 

A/N: any feedback appreciated, will continue as i have time (i have so many other projects i _should_ be working on but this one loves me the most right now 


	2. Part 2: Answer Me Back

Part 2: Answer Me Back

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Ten minutes later the boy was wrapped in a soft towel, kneeling on the floor beside the bed as Mustang ran the comb through his damp hair very slowly, very carefully. When he had first sat down he had taken the comb handed to him and battled the knots in his own hair, wincing violently at each tangle, trying to push it out by sheer force of will. Mustang had quickly sighed, ad put out his hand to take the comb back. Edward had been steered to the floor at the man's feet then, kneeling up between his legs and surrendering his hair. He had braced himself for the sharp tugs on his scalp that usually came from the comb, but they never came. Mustang slowly worked the comb through the tangles, holding each one carefully as he worked the comb through it until the hair rested smooth in his hands. He liked the feel of it, softening as it dried, and the man continued running the comb through it long after all the tangles had been pulled free. Finally though, he did weave a plait into the boy's hair and tie it with a band form around his wrist.

Mustang sat forward then, and admired how the boy's bangs fell from the plait and around his face, not thick enough to hide the bright features from view even now, as the boy's eyes were shut, head resting on the colonel's knee, face calm and smooth. He looked so much better this way, peaceful and clean and still so close to Mustang. He sighed, shifting, rousing the boy in the process. The blonde sat up quickly then, a guilty look on his face, eyes darting up to his master's face, appraising possible damage. All he was met with, however, was an affectionate smile. The man stood then, reaching for the boy on the floor, pulling him up to a standing position before walking to the dresser and pulling out a white t-shirt that was baggy on Mustang himself.

"Here ... uh, what's your name, by the way. I really can't keep calling you 'you' all the time." The boy looked up, blushing slightly. 

"They - You - You can pick a name for me, call me whatever you want to call me. I am yours after all." Mustang shook his head, chuckling softly, and laid one hand on the boy's cheek, running his thumb over the soft lips.

"But you already have a perfectly good name Im _sure_. Why add another one?" Edward blushed a deeper red then.

"Its Edward, my name is ... Edward." He flitted his eyes to the man's face briefly, then down to his feet, clutching his hands together behind his back nervously, "but, you know, you don't have to call me that if you don't want, im sure you can come up with something better. You're so ... smart ..." the boy finished weakly. But Mustang just smiled.

"Edward is a beautiful name, really. I'll stick with calling you Edward I think." He strode over to the boy and steered his face up with a hand on his cheek again. Ed flinched slightly, uncomfortable in the man's hands suddenly but he forced himself to still. Mustang leaned close then, and Ed could feel his breath warm and damp on his cheek. "you have ... beautiful eyes ..."

There was a sharp intake of breath from the boy, before Mustang closed the waning distance between them, and his mouth was warm and sweet. The boy gasped slightly and Mustang took this as open invitation to enter, breaking the spell holding the boy still. Suddenly he was pressed against the man, dropping the white shirt he had held tightly to fist his hand in the man's shirt, pulling himself forward into the kiss.

A clearing of the throat from the doorway caused Mustang to pull back from the boy, glancing up to see Hughes standing at the door, grinning like a maniac. Roy scowled a bit, blushing lightly at being caught like that, but made sure to hold Edward close to him still, not letting the boy be pushed away by this.

"Well Roy, its nice to see you're enjoying the gift already. I was worried there for a minute, like maybe you'd found something wrong with it. I was going to suggest trading it in, but now..." The man just shrugged, still smirking something awful.

"Maes, downstairs, I'll be there to talk to you in a minute." Roy barked, and stared intently until the man turned and left, before looking back at the blonde boy again with a sigh. "Why don't you brush your teeth, and get into the bed and I'll be back in a minute. You're going to have to sleep in with me for awhile, I don't really have another bed in here right now." The boy felt like smiling then, standing in the doorway to the bathroom. "But don't worry." Roy added quickly, "We can get you you're own room when me move, probably sometime next week."

The boy tried his hardest not to let the disappointment show in his face.

X

The first words out of the man's mouth when Roy appeared downstairs were "I told you so" which left Mustang grumbling under his breath. Maes did not need another reason to be right, or another reason to gloat about it. "Tell me then Roy, do you like the boy? I mean really, because we can still take him back if its not what you wanted, we can get something softer, maybe something a little older, hm?" Roy just shook his head.

"No. First of all, his name is Edward, I rather like that name, and secondly I rather like the boy. He may not be perfect yet, but he seems eager enough to learn, and smart enough to pick things up quickly." He put a hand over his eyes then, "Besides, he will come in a whole lot of handy come the moving day. We have to set all that up, too. I was hoping I could get you to secure me a small apartment in Central when you get back. Just until we find a house of course, but I don't want to be rushed at it. This should be started by what? Sometime next week?" This time it was his companion's turn to sigh.

"All business all of a sudden. I can take the hint I guess. Yeah, but mid next week they'll announce you're promotion and transfer, so you could be in central by, oh, lets say thursday? I'll see what I can do when I get home tomorrow." 

"Thanks Maes, I owe you one for this." Maes got up and stretched, smirking at Mustang over his shoulder.

"Yeah, thats not all you owe me for. I hope you enjoy the boy by the way. You don't take enough time for your own pleasure nowadays. Relax a little, you've definitely earned it."

"Yeah, but Maes." Roy added to the man's retreating back, "His name is Edward, not 'the boy,' and I'd appreciate if you could call him that, at least to his face, okay?"

X

The next morning was a bit awkward for Mustang, who woke up with the boy clutched tightly to his side with a rather uncomfortable crick in his spine and a rather inopportune visitor between his legs. He tried to shift out of the boy's grasp without waking him, but only succeeded in wiggling his hips slightly, rubbing his hardness against the silk of his sheets. This drew a low moan from him before he could bite it back, and he silently swore when he felt the boy stir to life beside him, stretching languidly with half closed eyes in a way that did not help alleviate his problem and had indeed possibly made it worse. 

Roy pressed his eyes closed, but opened them again when he felt the boy jar the blankets remarkably near to his erection, the shock of pleasure unexpected. "Edward, good morning." He managed to say cheerfully. The boy smiled sweetly at him.

"Good morning Master." His voice was slightly gravelly form sleep still, and it was quiet but clear. Mustang reached down and stroked the side of the boy's face, more out of habit than anything else. He was contemplating the boy's lips when Edward rose and gave him a chaste peck on the mouth. It surprised him slightly, and he jumped, pulling back a little. This made the boy cringe, turning his head away.

"Im sorry, I shouldn't have done that, I just - well - Im not sure what I was thinking really..." He trailed off, taking his arm respectfully off of its former resting place on Mustang's chest. The man, however, reached out and pulled the hand back by its wrist, turning the boy back towards him.

"Edward, look at me. Its alright, you just startled me a bit." The boy's face turned back towards him once more, and the man cupped his cheek gently in warning before planting a kiss of his own on the boy's mouth. It started as chaste and kind as its predecessor, but then the boy made a small noise of pleasure into it and it was suddenly a bit harder, a bit deeper, something different entirely from where it had started. Edward had one hand firmly planted on the bed beside Mustang, the other tracing restless circles on the pale, now somewhat exposed flesh of the man's stomach.

Then the curious hand brushed against something warm and hard and it was the colonel's turn to moan softly into the kiss, Edward swallowing the moan before hesitantly seeking the treasure he had accidently stumbled upon with more purpose and conviction. He pulled back a bit, touching tentatively and searching for permission in deep black eyes. Roy gave a slight nod, and the grasp around his hardness became firmer, more precise. The movement was surprisingly practiced and easy for the boy, but Mustang barely had time to think on this before the first wave of pleasure crashed over him, the boy's hand working him slowly but surely and he was drowning, caught suddenly in the undertow and it was going to be such a beautiful death. Then the boy's motions quickened slightly and there wasn't time, the wave was swelling beneath him, and there was a splash of liquid heat pooling on his stomach. The hand held him lightly then, for a few more seconds, and Mustang watched through half closed eyes as the boy brought two damp fingers to his own mouth, tasting his new master tentatively. 

He rose without being bidden then, and Mustang was confused for a second before the boy emerged from the adjoining bathroom with a warm damp cloth and wiped him off delicately. Mustang yawned and stretched then, thinking that this was a wonderful way to start the day, and he turned to watch the blonde boy with half closed eyes. The boy had seated himself on the edge of the bed and was coming his fingers through his now loose braid. _I really will have to thank Hughes more thoroughly next time I see him. I never would have thought to want this of my own volition, but it really is quite pleasant._ The man smiled, watching the boy begin to plait his hair behind him, moving slowly to make sure and get it right. _I wonder if there's a way to let him know how perfect this was without him saying 'I told you so' again..._

  X

The morning itself had been quick and easy compared to convincing himself that he really did need to get out of that warm bed and go to work. He had told the boy to find something to do around the house, possibly start crating the books that lined the shelves in the living room. He had made sure both of them had eaten something before he left, and had told the boy he could make himself a sandwich at lunch time, showing him where the necessary ingredients lived in his kitchen. 

When he had gotten to the actual office, he was tired, and a bit more distant than usual, pondering the boy who he had woken up with that morning. Hawkeye had commented when he had arrived that he was sighing more than usual, but he pulled himself together in time for the afternoon visit from the General in charge of Eastern Command. The man had arrived with the envelope he had been told to expect at the auction, informing him of the official promotion and transfer back to central headquarters. It hadn't taken long for Maes to show up to congratulate him, and offer to take him out for drinks. Hawkeye had shaken her head slightly when he had announced that he was leaving early, but the smile on her lips told him she thought he deserved it really. The men chatted amicably all the way down to the bar.

"So really, how're you doing with the boy? Is he giving you any trouble? 'Cause the guy at the auction said..."

"No, Maes." Roy cut in, one hand massaging his temples in exasperation, "He's fine, and his name is Edward, not 'the boy,' okay?" Maes just smiled a little bit.

"The guy at the auction said he'd send me all his papers and records and such in about a week. The boy, Im sorry, _Edward_, got all his shots, and passed most of the training requirements with flying colors." The man raised the glass the bartender had just set down in front of him, then turned with a smirk, "And he tested highly in all sort of ... important skills." Mustang almost chocked on the rum and coke he was drinking.

"_Jesus_ Maes, a little more tact would be nice. He's what, sixteen?"

"Close, he's 17 actually. Been through a whole lot of training, the papers say he's experienced with his hands and mouth, but everywhere else..." Mustang shot the man another glare.

"Shut _up_ already, _I_ don't need to know this right now, and everyone else in the bar _really_ doesn't need to know this." Maes just chuckled to himself.

"Getting some pleasure from the boy isn't a sin, Roy, lord knows it'll be good for you. Now stop bitching and start drinking, _General._"

Mustang just closed his eyes and sighed, it was easier to give up at this point.

X

The rest of the week was ridiculously busy for Mustang, getting ready for the move. He spent impossibly long days at the office, trying to tie up all the loose ends before he left, setting things up for the colonel that would be taking over the position in his absence. He would get up in the morning, leave for work, come home at night and go to bed. During the day, Edward tried his best to be helpful, getting up early and making breakfast for Roy before he left, packing things up during the day, organizing and cleaning the apartment, and making something warm for dinner when the man got home, always too exhausted to do much of anything but eat and go off to sleep. 

Edward pouted around a little over this, but never in view of his Master. He missed the man when he was gone, and he wanted to make him proud still, so he threw himself into the little tasks he was given, eventually finding more things he could do around even when not asked beforehand. It still depressed him though, when Mustang came home and almost ignored him, going right about the rituals of eating, showering, sleeping. The man would always wait for Edward to crawl into the bed before turning out the light, but the sleeping together was more a function of necessity than intimacy, and since that first morning there had been no sexual contact between the two.

The last day the new general went to work at east headquarters saw him return an entirely different level of tired. Ed was pained by the exhaustion written in the curve of his shoulders, in the dark bags under his eyes, in the way he sighed before dropping his coat on the stack of boxes sitting directly inside the front door. Edward had spent a good deal of time that day finishing the packing, as the truck that would move their things from east city to central was due by in the morning. He had been quite tired himself when Mustang had gotten home, but still managed to piece together a good warm meal. 

The man had flopped bonelessly down onto the couch that evening as soon as he'd kicked off his boots and hung up his uniform jacket. His hands loosened the shirt a bit, untucking it and undoing the first couple buttons. Edward scurried over then, with a bowl of the stew he'd made and a nice hunk of warm bread, hoping the man would be happy with it.

He set the bowl down on the coffee table in front of the couch, next to where the man had propped his feet. The soft clunk caused him to take his hand from where it had been covering him eyes. Mustang smiled, and the expression wasn't as weak and tired as everything else the man had done since he had come home. Ed stood nervously by the table, hoping the man would enjoy it, hoping he didn't want to just go to sleep. He watched as the man sat forwards, and took the spoon to his mouth.

"Edward, this is very good. Thank you." The apprehension in the boy's body melted away then, and he allowed himself to smile. The General looked up, returning the smile. "Come here Edward, sit next to me. Tell me about what you did today while I eat, okay?" The boy colored a little, but still crossed behind the couch to sit next to Roy, perching himself on the couch like it was made of glass, ready to jump back up on a moments notice if commanded. But Mustang just smiled, and turned back to the soup.

"W-well" He started, his voice a little hesitant, "I almost finished the packing today, everything is in boxes but the things that might be needed in the next two days. The truck, for the move, called today, and they're going to be here around 2 to pack everything up and take it to Central, to the apartment you're friend secured there. I haven't gotten the tickets for the train over yet as I wasn't sure weather you would want me to travel with you or with the truck, but i did call the station office and he said that the train will likely be almost empty this time of year, so that shouldn't be any sort of a problem. The people from the auction house came by today to look at the furniture you marked as salable, and they have accepted all of it, they will come come by to pick it up the day after we leave. Everything else is waiting for your approval as to what can go to the truck tomorrow and what you don't want to keep. I also made the reservation for the hotel you will be staying at tomorrow night, after the apartment here is cleared." Golden eyes darted up to Mustang's face hesitantly, "Is there anything I have forgotten, sir?"

Roy smiled and shook his head. "Firstly, yes, that was everything I asked you to do, and more. Thank you for that, that was wonderful. Secondly, of course you'll be traveling with me on the train. Its a very tedious ride and it will be nice to have some company." He shifted, sitting back then, his bowl almost empty in front of him, as he tore off small chunks of bread, dipping them in the remaining stew before eating them. "I think that as soon as I finish this I'll turn in. Thank you Edward, that was splendid." The boy felt a swelling in his chest then. Those kind words were more than he really felt that he could hope for this soon. br br


	3. Part 3: Before We Leave

Part 3: Before We Leave

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It wasn't very much later that Edward made his way upstairs as quietly as was possible. He had cleaned all of the dishes and kitchenware used, dried it and packed it carefully away. He wanted to make the next day run smoothly, to make the moving of his new master's household as easy as possible. This had been the first task set to him by Roy and he was going to make the best of it, doing as good of a job as possible to leave a perfect first impression on the man. He needed to stay here, he couldn't fail and be sent back, not now. It was made clear when he was sent to training that if he was returned he was not the only one to be punished, his brother would be found and hurt as well.

Edward wasn't exactly sure where his brother had ended up after they had parted ways, but it was for his brothers safety that he had allowed himself to be taken, and if he failed in his task now all of that would be in vain. he hoped his brother was safely back in Risembool, but he wasn't ever quite sure of that, and it wasn't as if he was given the opportunity to check at any point. Ed knew he would do anything to keep his brother safe though, anything that it was possible for him to do. Alphonse was the only family he had after their mother died, with their father having left at such a young age that neither son really remembered him strongly enough to seek him out and cling to him.

It had been mostly good luck on Edward's part, he thought, that he had ended up in such a relatively pleasant situation after his sale. He had been expecting, with his automail and build, that he would be put to work in a hard labor environment, not household chores and overseeing the master like he was now. And, though he didn't really want to admit it, the man to whom he had been given fascinated him greatly. He was handsome, that much was certain, and there was a certain exotic allure to the man that Ed had seen even for that brief moment of stolen eye contact in the auction, where his breath had stalled in his throat and his heart had stilled for a beat. That just made the job easier really, being obedient and cheerful for its own sake as much as the sake of the job at hand.

The room had been dark when the boy had slipped in, pulling the black shirt he was wearing over his head and popping the tie from his hair, brushing it lightly with his fingers to remove the tangles. He tried to shed his clothing as quietly as possible before climbing into bed in just his underwear, careful not to disturb the man beside him. That was until the man turned his head to show that he was still awake and Ed sighed in relief. He climbed beside Mustang, but was still surprised when he felt strong arms wrap lightly around his waist, pulling him close. The contact was remarkably tender and Edward wanted to say something then, but his mouth wouldn't cooperate with him in that endeavor so instead he just let himself be moved. Since that first day the man hadn't actually expressed any physical feeling towards him, which is not to say that he wasn't cordial and sweet at all times. It still made the boy's heart beat faster to feel those hands on his skin, fingers brushing his tanned stomach. The touch was chaste, but as he was guided to the man's chest, and he could feel the man's body pressed to his back, his pulse quickening and his breathing becoming rougher. It was purely on impulse that he pulled forwards slightly so he could turn onto his back. He leaned forwards then, and placed a small kiss on the man's closed lips, whispering a small goodnight before letting himself be snuggled back into position. He was content that night to sleep with his master's arms around him.

X

Roy woke to bright sunlight and an empty bed, and it took a moment for him to register why those things were wrong. When he rose, wrapping the silk robe Maes had gotten him for his birthday two years ago around himself, it was to muffled cacophony. He opened the door to the bedroom and he could pick the boy's familiar voice from the mixture, as he instructed the movers on what to pack into the truck. He leaned over the railing of the stairs and he could see the rooms downstairs were almost empty now. When Edward saw him descending the staircase his smile was wide.

"Good Morning Master. The men from the moving company are almost finished with everything downstairs, and they'll go upstairs soon. I packed a suitcase for you while you were still asleep, you can look through it and change things if you wish, I set it by the door with the trunks making the train trip with us tomorrow. A good deal of the kitchen items are packed away but I can make you some coffee or breakfast if you want." The man just shook his head, grinning.

"No Edward, I think that I can wait until the house is packed. Then maybe we can go into town and eat something, once we've checked into the hotel." Edward's eyes sparkled. He hadn't been out of the house in the last week, and at first that was fine by him, as he was busy submerging himself in his new life, learning everything he could in the time he had. But by the end he was starting to become restless, and the idea that Roy would let them be seen in public together made his chest puff slightly. The man obviously approved of him then, especially now that he was a General, with an image to uphold.

Edward simply smiled as he directed the men on what from the upstairs rooms they should pack away while the General headed into the small bathroom for a shower. By the time he was done the truck was packed and ready to leave, waiting only upon his final inspection to do so.

X

It wasn't much more than an hour later that the truck and the men that went with it were gone and all that remained in the house were Roy, Ed and the trunks that would accompany them on their train ride. The state car arrived promptly at 2:30, driven by a curious looking man with blonde hair and an unlit cigarette clenched between his teeth. Edward felt uncharacteristically shy around the man, especially when Mustang greeted him in such a familiar way upon arrival. They talked for a few moments while they carried the trunks into the car, leaving Edward with the small suitcase, trailing behind almost listlessly, unsure of his place in this interaction. He fell back on the training he had received, keeping to the man's heels, head down arms clasped in front of him. He only half listened to the exchange, until the blonde man plucked the suitcase from his hands and put it into the back seat of the car, the other luggage secured in the trunk. He took a drag off his now lit cigarette and turned to Mustang.

"Hey Chief! What's up with the kid?" Mustang chuckled, and walked over to the boy, laying his hand on one tanned shoulder.

"This is Edward, he was a gift from Hughes last weekend, when he was here, a sort of congratulations on the promotion." Then he squeezed Ed's shoulder briefly before trailing his fingers to rub the boy's cheek tenderly, " and this is Lieutenant Jean Havoc, he's on my staff. He'll be coming to Central with us, though not on the train tomorrow. He needs to stay here to finish things up first." Havoc grinned and shook his head, opening the back door of the car for the general and helping the boy in beside him. He didn't speak until the car was moving.

"Well Ed, its nice to meet you. Its good to see someone's taking care of the General, lord knows he needs the help." The boy was ready to speak in his Master's defense, as he was sure the man could do fine on his own if he so desired, but the man beside him laughed and the sound was beautiful.

The two men chatted back and forth for the rest of the trip, and Edward stared out the window at the passing scenery and wondered what Central city would be like when they got there. He'd never been to such a big place before. He wondered idly what Mustang would ask him to do when they got to Central. Here he had spent most of his time packing up the apartment, which was now a finished project so there wouldn't be any more of that happening. He really did want to be helpful still though, and he hoped that Mustang would find something for him to do. Maybe he'd take the boy to the office with him, the thought of that made Edward smile. The car came to a stop in front of the hotel that sat beside the train station.

"But Mustang, seriously now" Jean Havoc's voice became low and clear, "Scar has been sited all around Central City this week, so be careful when you get there. They're not sure what the guy wants right now, but its definitely not good." Then the man's voice was a bit less serious, and he smiled into the rear view mirror, "And it wouldn't do to have you die so soon after your promotion, you haven't gotten to enjoy being a General yet." Then a sly smile, "And now that you've got a little someone keeping your bed warm..." The General just rolled his eyes as he got out and proceeded to drag a trunk from the car. Ed, however, was thoroughly pink when he hustled after his Master, helping the man to lift things down before running to the lobby to grab a luggage cart from the bellhop.

He wrestled the trunks up onto the cart with almost no problem at all, and Mustang chuckled when the boy said he didn't need any help with it, but he stood back anyways and watched the boy, amused as he was. Checking in to the room was no problem as well, with Edward producing the confirmation number for the reservation from the small pouch he carried tied to his thick leather belt. The woman from the counter offered to show them to their room, but Mustang politely declined, for which Edward was grateful. He had become comfortable with the man, by himself in isolation. When the rest of the world bled in around the edges it made him nervous. Mustang was a keen observer of these things. When the elevator doors shut them off from the lobby he put a hand on the boys shoulder, rubbing light circles on his skin, and Ed relaxed under his hand, leaning into the touch, but with both hands still on the luggage cart. He shut his eyes and focussed on the man behind him, and all too soon he heard the ding that meant they had arrived at their floor, and the doors opened in a mechanical hiss and pulled back revealing empty halls.

Finding their room was easy, the suite was at the end of the hall and when they swung the door open they saw two rooms, a sort of sitting room in the front, with a view of the city laid out beneath the giant window, the curtains flung wide. Edward wheeled the cart in and placed the trunks carefully in the corner of the front room before carrying the suitcase through to the second, a bedroom of decent size with a king bed in the middle, and a small window to the side with a luggage stand beneath it where the boy placed the bag. He turned then, to take stock of the man, who smiled back at him.

"This is nice Edward, a good choice. There's only one bed though, but I can call down to room service and get you a trundle if you want." The boy blushed then, worrying the hem of the black shirt between his fingers.

"No sir, thats alright, I would much rather just sleep up with you." Then his eyes sank, and his hands stilled. "Unless you would rather I not, in which case I can sleep on the couch in the other room." He startled slightly as he felt Mustang's hand on his cheek, the man had crossed the room so silently he hadn't noticed. The man's fingers steered his face upwards, until he was forced to meet his eyes.

"That would be lovely, Edward, I just don't want it to be something you're uncomfortable with, okay?" Ed managed a weak smile then, and watched as Mustang stepped back. "Now how about we go get some brunch. I know of a great little café a block from here. Its on a quiet little street, it would be perfect, and I would love for you to accompany me there." Ed blushed again, but nodded and hurried to get things put into their places. He picked a uniform jacket from the suitcase, and as he was hanging it to keep it from wrinkling a white glove fell from the pocket. He picked it up and his eyes widened at the designs inscribed on the back. He stared at it slightly dumbstruck until a chuckle came from behind him.

"I see you found my gloves, that right there is a transmutation circle, it lets me control the element of fire." The boy looked up at him, eyes curious.

"Your an-an alchemist then?" Mustang just smiled and nodded.

"I'm a state alchemist actually, I use my alchemy in service to the state. Thats the reason I've been able to become a General so quickly, this skill gives me great worth to the military and the government." The boy smiled then, finished putting the things from the suitcase away, and he latched onto the man's arm then, which made him chuckle.

"Well come on then Edward, lets go get something to eat."

X

The meal had gone smoothly, for the most part. Roy had bought a newspaper on the way downstairs and he had settled onto one of the outside tables at one of the cafés he and Maes always went to when the man was in town, the one with the fritatta Mustang always loved. The boy had looked a bit uncomfortable but he had put that down to his aversion to groups of people. Mustang knew he'd have to help Edward overcome that, especially if he was going to come to Central. The thought of returning the boy, for his own sake, had crossed the General's mind, but it had made him frown into his paper. He was attached to Edward now, he had gotten used to having him around, not to mention that having a cute boy trailing him everywhere made heads turn, especially one with such long blonde hair and beautiful eyes.

He had looked at the boy the whole while they were waiting for their food, but they had all been quick sidelong glances as he pretended to read the newspaper, trying to appear to be focused intently on the political goings on of the eastern sector. It was all too distracting though, to have the boy sitting across the table from him, trying his hardest not to look nervous or bored. It was absolutely and irredeemably cute, and he wondered idly if the boy knew how he looked. The tone of his usual conversation hinted that he was oblivious, but Mustang was never quite sure. It wasn't like it really mattered though, he was still attractive either way and Roy would hate to give that up, even if he wasn't attached to him.

The waitress who brought the food over smiled sweetly and blushed when Roy had thanked her. He chatted with her for a second, smiling at her questions and laughing at her witty comments. Eventually she turned to go back to the kitchen, waving and promising to return, and when Mustang turned back to the table he saw the boy staring at his plate, mouth a tight line. It made Mustang smile to see the boy so obviously and transparently ... jealous? He chuckled slightly, causing the boy to redden slightly, and reached around the table to lay one hand on the boys knee, giving him a secret smile.

"Eat you breakfast Ed, the food is fantastic here. If we finish in time we can do something before we have to get on the train, okay? I'll let you pick." The boy seemed to cheer up reluctantly at that, and Mustang turned back to his own plate, the remaining Frittata getting cold but still delicious and still took small glances at the boy out of the corner of his eye until he was caught, changing then to staring at the fruit cart across the street and wondering what kind of fruit Edward liked best, and if maybe they could get something on the way out, a treat to have on the train.

When he looked back to the boy his plate was empty, and Mustang chuckled quietly, this time making the boy smile. He shook his head a little before motioning to the girl wiping tables behind him for the check. "So Edward" he began, while they waited, "What do you think would be fun for us to do this afternoon" Ed smiled a little, and pushed the fork he had been holding along the table top thoughtfully.

"I think that, maybe, we should go back and take a nap." Roy raised on eyebrow and smirked at the boy, wondering if he knew exactly how that sounded. The boy's voice stuttered back to life then, "I-Its just that you look so tired and I know you've been working so hard lately, because of the transfer, and you probably won't get a chance to relax when you get to Central, at least not for awhile. I just thought that maybe..." His voice trailed off, and his cheeks colored slightly. _He can't know how cute that is, he really _can't_ because if he does he the most skilled manipulator I've ever met and he just can't be, not Edward._ The man sighed, and shook his head slightly.

"Edward thats sweet. If thats what you really want to do I won't argue. Maybe we can come out a little before the train gets here and we can get a treat form the market to eat on the way." Then the girl was there with the check and Roy smiled sweetly at her, but made sure to only keep his eyes on her a second before flitting back to Edward's face. He was trying to avert his eyes, blushing softly, and the thought made Roy's chest tight. He stood then, and reached for the boy's hand, throwing his coat over one arm. Ed looked confused when he raised his head but Mustang just smiled at him and squeezed his hand once, telling him as loudly as he could without speaking that it was all okay.

The boy followed suit then, standing and moving close to Mustang, one hand clenched in the older man's. He leaned in closer for one second and set his forehead against the General's chest before smiling and pulling back, inclining his head slightly at the now confused waitress and letting himself be led out of the restaurant and over to the hotel. The sun was warm on Mustang's skin, and the man thought it would be a nice day to sit in the park, but the boy had requested they return to the hotel for whatever reason and he was going to honor that request. After all, he had asked the boy what he wanted to do, and this had been it.

Mustang let Edward unlock the door to the room and put the key back in that pouch he carried everywhere, hanging from his belt. The man watched him as he walked in, hanging up the coat he had been wearing on the hook by the door then turning to the man and starting to unbutton. Mustang just smiled and let the boy do as he pleased, knowing that in a round about way this would all end up in the same place anyways, and the boy _was_ right, he was actually quite tired still, but he knew that Maes would have fixed things so that the workload those first couple of days would be lighter than usual, to give him time to adjust. Besides, he also had to worry about finding a house and all of that, but he knew that Maes would have secured an apartment for him by the time he arrived. Maes did so much for him, as his best friend, and he was happy to be able to be close to the man again. He smiled, perhaps the best thing Maes had done for him yet was standing in front of him now, staring up into his eyes.

"You went somewhere else just then" the boy's voice was low, he had Mustang's military jacket over one arm, "Where did you go in your head just then?" the last part was almost whispered, but the man heard it anyways, and reached out for the boy, taking the jacket and throwing it over a chair. He had another hanging in the closet, he knew, this one would be okay.

"It was nothing, nowhere, Im back now." Then a different kind of smile, warmer but sharper around the edges, as he gathered the boy close, breathing deeply in his blonde hair, "Come one Edward, lets see about taking that nap." The boy seemed to come back to life then, and Mustang let himself be led into the bedroom gently, one of the boys arms hooked around his elbow. The man sat himself on the edge of the bed, and deftly started unbuttoning his shirt, sliding it down his arms and off, throwing it towards the luggage rack in the corner. Ed colored slightly, but Mustang still saw him stealing glances at his bare chest now, which made him smirk slightly.

"Edward, please come over here." The boy paused, then hurried over. Roy smiled at the slight hitch of the boy's breath when the man's fingers lifted the hem of his shirt, pulling it up and over his head. They then fell tot he button of the boy's pants, but not without first trailing over the newly revealed skin, causing the boy to tremble slightly under the touch. There was a slight gasp as his pants came down, and Mustang smirked harder.

"We can't let you take a nap in all that clothing, you'll just wrinkle it and Im not sure we have a change for you here. We'll have to take you shopping when we get to Central, so you can pick out some new things. I can't have you running around in just anything you know, Im a General and I have a certain image to uphold." Roy stood then, nudging the boy backwards a bit and bending down to drop a kiss on his forehead before undoing his own pants, watching them pool at his feet before kicking them away. When he lay back down he pulled the boy down beside him, the two bodies nesting together almost perfectly. The boy turned a little then and planted a tentative and questioning kiss on the man's lips, making him smile. Mustang kissed back, deepening and broadening the contact until it was an open-mouthed ocean he was drowning in. The man hadn't meant to actually fall asleep, he hadn't planned on giving up that easily, but when the boy finally pulled back he lay his head back down and drifted into sleep.


	4. Part 4: Thicker Than Water

part 4: Thicker Than Water

The light coming through the window had dimmed from the brightness of the afternoon sunlight to the deeper hues of dusk when Mustang woke, the night settling over the city slowly. He was alone in the bed, when he rolled over, stretching, but the place next to him was warm so he knew Edward couldn't have been gone for very long. The room was a good deal colder now than it had been when they had returned, and the clock on the night table read 5:37. He hadn't realized he'd been asleep for so long, he smiled then, maybe the boy was more perceptive than he gave him credit for, he must have been quite tired indeed. And as if he could sense the man thinking of him, Edward appeared in the doorway, his black shirt back on but no pants, arms hugged tightly to his body. Roy felt his smile might fall right off of his face as he peeled the covers back from the spot next to him.

"Edward come here, you look cold." The boy complied quickly, slipping under the blankets and pushing them back down on top of himself, snuggling into Mustang's chest, burying his head in the crook of the man's neck, and letting himself be enveloped by those arms. Roy held him close, planting a single chaste kiss on the top of the boy's head. But then Edward squirmed just slightly in the man's arms and suddenly the boy was on his back, head snapped backwards with Mustang's lips securely fixed over his, swallowing the cry of surprise. But he melted still, the heat attached to his mouth was too much and he was gripping the man's sides almost painfully. Mustang smiled into the kiss, breaking it by degrees to transfer his lips across his jaw, down his neck, across his collar bone. Mustang could have sworn the boy tasted delicious but he couldn't describe it for all the money in the world. The man slipped his fingers under the hem of the tank once more, peeling it away from Edward's skin, now glistening slightly, and sticky from the perspiration. The boy moaned more deeply when Roy's mouth found his nipple, nipping the bud gently but forcefully between his teeth. Ed was hard against the man's stomach, he could feel it through the cloth of the underwear the boy was wearing, and this amused him greatly.

"Ahhhahhh" The small cry that escaped when a warm hand brushed over the cloth covered flesh was enrapturing. Roy smiled, kissing his way down the boy's chest and stomach, lingering longer than he should have in the well tanned belly button. It didn't take long for the first experimental lick to tease the boy through the fabric, warm and damp. The small noises issuing from the blonde's mouth were reaching a keening tone now, the golden eyes blinking open now, watching the man intently. The boys tongue darted out between gasps, wetting his lips and Mustang couldn't resist any more. While holding Edward's gaze firmly he mouthed the still cloth covered tip, sucking it in and releasing it, swirling his tongue around it and watching the amber eyes snap shut, the small mouth fall open, the mismatched hands grip the sheets beneath tightly. Mustang smiled then, pulling back, much to the boy's obvious dismay.

The sounds coming from the boy were almost words then, distressed and wild until the general lifted the slender hips and slid the last vestige of clothing free form the boy, exposing the now damp and painfully hard shaft he'd been enjoying to the cool air.The grip he took on it now though, was excruciatingly light, making the blonde buck upwards, whining pitifully. Roy smiled, looking almost demonic. He lowered his head then, down to the boy's ear, so close he tickled the shell of the ear when he spoke.

"Tell me what you want Edward." He kept the grip light and teasing, enough to keep the boy beneath him close but not enough to pull him over the edge. The blonde pressed his head to the side, and the cry was quieter then, more desperate, but far from words still. Roy clucked his disappointment, a breathy exhale against the shell of the tanned ear. "You have to tell me what you want Edward, tell me." The whines were frantic then, but the boy managed to form them into words.

"Master, Mustang, General ... _please_, I just, I need you..." Roy slid his hand a bit more tightly at the sound of his name and title from the boy's mouth. He was harder than he'd been in a very long time, and the boy hadn't touched him, he hadn't done anything but writhe and cry and _respond_, like a finely tuned instrument, played by a master musician. The boy was like art in motion then, splayed and sparkling with sweat, so open and vulnerable, yet completely trusting. The power was intoxicating, and there wasn't much Mustang could do then but tighten his grip and speed up his pace, causing the cries that fell from Edward's lips to rise in volume once again. Roy leaned his ear next to the boys ear again, and whispered, "I want to hear you say my name."

"Gods, Master please..."

"My name, Edward, I want to hear you say it." Each breath hitched in the blonde's throat now, small sounds bubbling up from his lips. The man could tell he was close. "Say it Edward, I need you to say it."

"Gods, _Roy_..." Then it was over and the boy was tense for a second before he melted, suddenly boneless and slack in the man's arms, clutching him close still, unable to let go of the pale arms and deadly smirk. It took Mustang a minute to notice the tears in the lightly shut golden eyes.

"Edward?" He questioned. a bit worried that he had done something that had hurt the boy. But Ed opened his mouth and closed it again, just holding Roy tight.

"Thank you. Gods Master, Mustang, _Roy_..." The man's heart clenched then, and he held the boy close, not entirely sure what he should do, not exactly sure what he really wanted then. It was almost surreal to look down at the ethereally beautiful boy wrapped around his middle and think that he owned the boy now, and the blonde would always be there. Roy knew how the system worked, and he felt no guilt about having the boy, or using him. What did bother him was that that wasn't what he wanted, not anymore. Thinking about the boy, how he followed his commands so well, it made his stomach twist a bit. _He's only doing this for me because its what he has to do, its because Im his Master, I decide his fate. _Roy sighed, petting a hand through the boy's soft hair absentmindedly, relishing the small noises that escaped the soft lips, almost like purrs now.

It took a moment for the blonde to start shifting around him, snuggling down and stretching out. The golden eyes glanced up at Mustang in a questioning way and the man smiled down at him, the only word he could think right then was _beautiful. _The man yawned then, and Edward disentangled himself rather reluctantly from his side, shifting to a perch on the edge of the bed. Mustang's stomach made a gurgling noise and the boy looked up to his face.

"Are you hungry, Sir? I can fetch something from the deli on the corner, or order something up from room service for you." Mustang smiled, and shook his head.

"There's a restaurant on the next block that I love, I can call in an order and you can go pick it up, how does that sound Ed?" The boy nodded, smiling softly. Roy chuckled and picked up the phone, dialing the number for San Giovanni's off the top of his head, rattling off his usual order of noodles with meat sauce and a loaf of garlic bread before pausing and turning to the boy. "Edward, what would you like to eat?" The blonde froze for a second, blushing slightly.

"Whatever you'd like to order me is fine." Roy shook his head.

"Edward, you can get whatever you want you know." The boy looked up then and smiled lopsidedly, still a light red tinge in his cheeks.

"Order me something you think is good then, I wouldn't know what to order at all." Mustang smiled then, shaking his head again before adding an order of lasagna with cheese and some cold tea. He wrote down the order number and the total cost then, on a small piece of paper he found on the night table. He handed it to the blonde once he had hung up the phone.

"Here Edward, thats the order, and here is the money, it shouldn't cost more than that, just give them everything, it'll leave something for tip I think." He counted a small sheaf of paper currency into the boy's hand, atop the paper he had pressed there.

X

Roy had only barely dosed off when the phone in the hotel room rang jolting him awake. He rubbed his eyes sleepily before snatching it off of the cradle, and bringing it to his ear.

"Hello?" He said, rather sleepily.

"Good evening, General. Sorry to bother you with something so trivial, but there's a young man down here who claims to belong to you, he was trying to sneak into the building and avoid the desk. He doesn't have any sort of an ID or collar or anything. He insisted that we call you, he was rather hysterical, said you were expecting him back." Roy sighed, recognizing the voice of the woman at the front desk.

"Yes, that would be Edward. He is indeed in my employ, and I would appreciate if you would send him up immediately. We haven't had a chance to outfit him properly yet, but we will be doing so as soon as we arrive in Central City, don't worry." The woman apologized profusely for the inconvenience and sent the boy right up. It didn't take long for the light knock to be heard at the door, before the boy let himself in with the key he carried in his pouch, dangling from the thick belt he wore. His eyes were slightly red, the skin around them slightly puffy, like he had cried, and his mouth was pressed into a tight line. Mustang sighed, taking the food from him and setting it on the coffee table in the sitting room area of the small suite, gathering the boy into his arms and whispering a bit, hushing the boy.

"As soon as we arrive in Central we'll have to get you a collar and an ID tag. Your temporary registration will probably run out around then as well, so we should do that too. Until we get there though, maybe its a better idea for you to avoid going off by yourself, where I can't keep an eye on you, okay?" The boy nodded. Mustang idly wondered why this had upset the boy so, it was seemingly just a little misunderstanding with the hotel staff, no need to cry or anything. Still, the look on the boy's face made his throat tighten, so he held the boy close once more, before nudging him gently towards the couch, and the food.

He opened the bag and removed the containers of food, pushing Edward's in front of him before pulling out his own and diving right in. He hadn't really been eating right lately, he had been so busy it had seemed like a trivial matter. Now that there was warm food in front of him he dug in heartily. He snuck a glance at the boy out of the corner of his eye. The blonde was sitting demurely, hands folded in his lap and eyes downcast, the carton of food in front of him still unopened and untouched. Roy was puzzled, until he realized the boy was waiting for permission.

"Eat Edward, when I put food in front of you its okay to eat it. I wouldn't have given it to you if i didn't want you to have it yet. Now come on, eat something." The boy flashed him a tight relieved smile, and picked up his form, eating as delicately as he could, trying to keep the mess to a minimum. His face was still covered in spots of sauce when he was done though. It made Mustang smile to see him like that.

"Edward, you have a bit of sauce on your face." The boy blinked for a second, then dragged the back of his hand across his face, missing several spots. Mustang just clicked his tongue in mock reproach and leaned in, catching Edward's hand by the wrist, and gently laying his own mouth on the spot, sucking the skin clean gently. The boy moaned quietly, and Mustang shifted his lips until they covered the boy's, swallowing the small cries as his hands proceeded to peel the shirt back off of him, then sinking to the button of the leather pants, shimmying them down past the slender hips and off. _When we get to Central I'll have to see about something easier to deal with than this._

Then the boy wrapped his arms around the man's neck and buried his face in the pale flesh of Mustang's collarbone, exhaling breathily, and all he could think about was then, there, _now_. He ran his hands along the boy's sides, and came up to tangle in the beautiful blonde hair, now gradually working its way form the braid it was caught up in. Mustang had planned on maybe taking another short nap, it was incredibly easy to sleep with Edward snuggled up next to him, or maybe go on a walk, get some exercise, but with the beautiful blonde boy snuggling close to him, all bear skin and whispers he was hard pressed to do anything else. _Fuck it, its my time off right now, I don't have to think about anything else, not until I get to Central, I might as well enjoy it while it lasts. _

Mustang backed them up slowly until he was in front of the couch and sat down, dragging the boy into his lap, one leg settling neatly on each side of him. The boy was startled at the sudden movement, and tensed for a single breath before relaxing into the man's arms, pulling himself close. Roy smiled, and dropped small silent kisses on the top of the boy's head, the blonde hair under his lips wasn't the softest thing, but it was still comfortable and bright. He ran a hand up to the boy's cheek, cupping it lightly and smiling, tilting the tanned face up until he could look into those eyes. Their gazes locked for a single second before Mustang claimed the lips there for his own.

X

The night before had gone remarkably smoothly, all things considered. Roy had comforted the boy, and in turn the blonde had comforted him back. Roy had held him, and rubbed his back, and promised him they would fix things when they got to central, not really expecting him to be upset about such a small thing, and in turn the blonde had wrapped his soft lips around Mustang's cock and sucked him dry. They had fallen asleep before the man had a chance to return the favor, but Ed would reassure him later that it didn't matter.

The next morning, breakfast went quite smoothly, with Edward ordering room service while Mustang snuggled back into bed with his newspaper, not thinking it was a good idea for Edward to go outside again on his own, and not really wanting to get up yet himself. He was starting to think this was the best investment anyone could ever make when he didn't even have to get up when the room service came, as Ed answered the door and brought him the charge slip, it would go on their room tab. By the time thy had left the hotel they had been running slightly late, Roy mussed and moody, not used to being rushed, Ed quiet and nervous, not sure how to act around his master in this mood. They had made their train, but time had been tight as the general had to stop by the office first, to make sure his lieutenant had the number at which he could be reached once they got to central.

Mustang had chosen the compartment in silence, cataloguing the things he had to get done before he arrived in his head, the armful of folders that Hawkeye had given him under one arm. The blonde had trailed behind him a foot or so, holding the suitcase they had brought on with them, leaving the trunks to be stowed away in the luggage car. The compartment was filled with the absence of noise then, as Roy sat to look over the paperwork given to him, occasionally signing something or scribbling comments or corrections in the margins of the page, leaving Edward to sit and stare at his feet, twiddling his thumbs and wondering if his master was mad at him. He told himself that he didn't want the man to be mad at him because of the possible consequences of that for himself, or even worse to his brother. He knew that the real reason was different though, even if he didn't want to admit it. He didn't want to let his new master down. The man had been nothing but nice, nothing but wonderful and caring and gentle, not expecting much form the boy, making him want to show the man how much he had that he could give, that he would gladly give.

That was why the boy sat nervously across the car from Mustang, watching his master do his work silently, trying his best to figure out what he could do to restore peace to the car. The man tried to keep his focus down on the papers in front of him, but it was very very difficult to do so with wide amber eyes fixed on him from across the car. But he tried, he tried very hard. In the end though it was a losing battle, and he sighed, setting his work down onto he bench next to him and turning to look at the source of the gaze.

"Yes Edward?" the blonde's tanned cheeks colored a little, and he immediately averted his eyes, staring at the neatly polished military boots his master wore with a seemingly deep fascination. The man cleared his throat, signaling that he should either start talking or stop looking, so Ed opened him mouth.

"I-I was just wondering about your mood, sir. You seem a bit upset, is there anything I can do to help you relax?" Mustang shook his head, eyes still tight and exasperated, and patted the bench next to him, inviting the boy over. It didn't take more than a second before he complied, joining Roy on the opposite bench, sitting demurely beside him, one questioning hand laying on the knee of the uniform pants the general wore. Roy smiled slightly then, causing the boy to mirror him. He bent down and pressed his lips to the blonde's quickly and demurely, but Edward reached up and wrapped his arms around the man's neck and he was pulled into a deeper kiss. It wasn't what the General had planned, but it wasn't as if there was anyone around, no one was in the train compartment with him after all.

His nervousness got the best of him, though, when he felt one of Edward's hands, fallen back to the uniformed knee, slowly trailing its way up the general's thigh, kneading the flesh on the inside lightly. It made him jump slightly, but the tentative fingers did not withdraw this time. Mustang sighed into the kiss, the tone a little more exhasperated than was entirely necessary. He pulled back.

"Edward, what exactly are you doing right there?" The boy blushed and sputtered, which the general couldnt help but smile at, as it was absolutly adorable. The man's smile faltered though, when he heard the boy speak, eyes hidden behind long bangs, voice cracking at the edge of tears.

"I just thought ... I was trying to ... you were all wound tight this morning, because we were late ... I just, its my fault really, if I hadn't let you go back to sleep we could have had everything done on time. Then you'd be more relaxed and less sad." The boy's flesh fingers worried the hem of his shirt, the automail beside them almost putting holes in the black fabric. "I was just trying to maybe cheer you up. Its worked before I guess and I just ... you were making that face and I just wanted you to be happier again, like last night..." The man smiled slightly, and shook his head, but Edward's eyes were firmly fixed onto the floor in front of him still.

"Edward, I don't think..." the boy's hand was on his knee again, at the sound of his voice, and it was climbing its way upwards tentatively again. Mustang sighed and grabbed the boy's wrist, causing the boy to jump and look away guiltily. "Edward, stop. _That_ doesn't fix all problems you know, and I would appreciate it if you wouldn't do that in public. Im a General, and I have certain public rules of deportment I have to follow, okay?" He reached over then, letting his grip on the boy's wrist fall and touching his cheek, steering the boy's face towards his, forcing golden eyes to meet his own. "Okay Edward?"

There was a mumble of ascent, and the eyes were downcast again. The rest of the ride was made in silence, while the General finished going over the papers in front of him, and the blonde, migrating back to his own seat, alternated between staring out the window and casting uneasy glances at the man across the compartment. It was a long train ride, and eventually the boy fell asleep, leaning against the window, and Mustang put down the folder to watch him nodding against the glass, falling every so slowly forwards until he couldn't help but get up and gently readjust the boy's position, so he lay across the seat, settling into a much more comfortable position. It wasn't much longer before he nodded off himself.

X

They reached Central City the next morning, about an hour before they couldn't call it morning anymore. Roy had woken rather early, trying to finish the paperwork in the folder, but being distracted constantly by the adorable blonde sleeping across the car. He was starving by the time the attendants made their first round, and he grabbed some fruit and pastries from the passing cart, hoping that Edward would like one of the choices when he came round. It wasn't that satisfying though, and due to the lack of coffee, and thus when they arrived he was thoroughly ready to disembark.

He had shaken the boy awake lightly, making sure the still nodding blonde boy stayed close, and kept a grip on the suitcase he was charged with, as he stepped from the train, scanning the platform for a familiar face. It fell upon the smiling waving form of Maes Hughes, trailing behind him a straight backed blonde man in military uniform, their trunks already on the cart beside him. Mustang shook his head as he weaved through the crowd, one hand holding Edward's wrist firmly, the other waving back at his friend. It was only when they reached each other that the hands dropped, as they hugged for a long moment, leaving both blondes witnessing the display to shift awkwardly on their feet, only for very different reasons. When the contact broke, Hughes was the first to speak.

"Hey Roy, you look tired! I guess your getting to that age where sleeping on the train is difficult, eh? Well, why don't we go stop by your apartment to throw these trunks in, then I can take you out for some breakfast and we can make further arrangements." He held out a key on a small metal ring and Roy took it smiling, slipping it into the pocket of his uniform pants and grinning. This was going to be a good morning


	5. Part 5: Tethered to You

part 5: Tethered to You

The apartment Maes had secured for the General was small, a one bedroom affair, with a tiny kitchenette and one i closet /i of a bathroom. Still, it had wonderful large windows, overlooking the city beyond, facing west to catch afternoon sunlight. Mustang smiled as he walked in, the keys jingling delicately in his hand, before he absentmindedly handed them the Edward, who put them in his little leather pouch for safe keeping. The bulk of the stuff the truck had brought over had been moved to storage, but the essentials were there, the bed in the bedroom, a small array of dishes and pans on the shelves in the kitchenette, the sofa in the living room, the squat wooden coffee table in front of it. The man surveyed his mismatched and battered furniture with a skeptical eye then, thinking maybe he should invest in some i _new /i _pieces when they moved. After all, he was a General now. The thought made him smile wider.

"So, how do you like it? It's small for sure, but it's cheap and close to base. Maybe this will encourage you to get moving and buy yourself a house, eh? We can't throw you that party if you don't have a house..." Maes was behind him, grinning, still pulling the cart with the trunks. Edward had tried to take it when they had gotten out of the military car, but Maes had insisted the boy run ahead to walk with Mustang, in case the man needed any help when they got up there.

The boy's eyes had widened at this, and he had blushed slightly, but ran up to walk behind his Master, eyes downcast, still clutching the suitcase they hadn't been able to wrestle away from him. He stood by the door now, he had placed the suitcase on the floor, out of the way, and waited for some instruction from his Master on what to do now. When Roy looked back and caught his eye, he couldn't help but look a little lost. But the man just smiled.

"Edward, why don't you get started unpacking the rest of this stuff, you can hang the clothing in the closet in the bedroom, and - well I'm sure you can find a place for everything else, you i are /i the one who packed these." He crossed the room, and laid one hand on the boy's shoulder, squeezing gently, before dropping a light kiss on the upturned forehead, steering the boy off to unpack, knowing he would be more comfortable with a task to complete. He went to the stove then, filling the percolator on the counter with water and setting it on to heat for coffee.

"Hey Roy, the office wants you to come in for a second today." He turned, facing Maes, who was lounging on the couch across the room, watching Edward unpack through the bedroom door. Roy leaned back against the counter, cocking his head to the side. "They want to talk to you a little bit, but then you can leave. You have most of the rest of this week off, your staff is still in East City after all, so you have some time to go house hunting. Between you and that boy I suspect the search will go quickly, I would assume he's pretty capable. At least he seems so." Maes was toying with the piping on the edge of the fading cushions. Then he turned, smiling up at the man. "So hows he been, by the way? I see you haven't gotten him registered yet. Haven't had the i _time /i ?_." The last word was drawled out with a leer, and Roy shook his head at the implication.

"He's been great Maes, and I haven't had time, but it's not that, it's this damn move and promotion. It's good for me, yeah, but its so much work. Edward has been indispensable in helping out the last week though, I don't know how I would have gotten through that without him." Roy smiled when he raised his head and saw the blonde boy standing in the doorway blushing, eyes screwed onto the floor. He held out one arm, beckoning to the boy. "Edward, come here. Are you finished already?" The boy nodded mutely, crossing the room to stand in front of his Master. Roy drew him into a hug then, pulling the boy tight against his chest, laying his chin atop the soft, blond hair. "Well, we should get you registered and such today, get a new collar, something a bit nicer than that monstrosity you had when you arrived. I don't even know where that thing ended up." Pale fingers rose to touch the still tender ring around the boy's neck where the thick leather band used to sit, too tightly. The boy swallowed, the idea of the collar scaring him a little, but reassuring him a bit just the same.

Then Maes spoke, shattering the moment. He spun the ring of keys he carried around his extended finger.

"Hey boys, what say I take you out to some real breakfast, then we can swing by the office for a bit, and we can stop by the main building to get the boy registered, I have his papers in my desk by the way, we should grab those. You guys should be home and ready to get settled in by dinner." Roy didn't miss the dangerous gleam in his friend's eye at his last words, but he sighed and nodded his consent anyways, turning the coffee pot off and steering the blond boy out the door ahead of him.

X

He was nervous as he followed Maes Hughes into central headquarters, waving at someone every so often, most of whom he hadn't seen in a very long time. He kept the Edward's hand gripped tightly in his the whole time, sneaking glances at the boy who was obviously uncomfortable, but putting up a brave face. He was relieved when they got to the office that would be his come the next monday. It was almost empty at the moment though, things being moved in and out, getting ready for his team. He looked around, a little impressed. And then he walked through, to the door on the other side, pushing it open to reveal his very own office, with a door and two large windows, letting in the sunlight.

He smiled, he'd never had his own office before, colonel's didn't get them. Now he had a place to escape from Hawkeye, and the thought made him want to jump for joy. He might have too, if it hadn't been horribly undignified. Instead he squeezed Edward's shoulder, and steered the boy to the couch, giving him a warm smile, a look that said i _you're doing so well /i _. He heard the small knocking behind him and turned around. There was a woman standing in the doorway, smiling a little awkwardly. She extended her hand.

"Hi, I'm Sheera, I'm the secretary for this office, and I think I'll be working under you, starting on Monday. General Mustang is it?" She smiled and Roy couldn't help but smirk back, extending his hand to warmly shake hers.

"Its a pleasure to meet you Ms.Sheera. I am indeed General Mustang. I was told that there were some things I needed to take care of here today?" He let himself be led out of the inner office, to the table in the main room, where a folder of papers was spread out. He sighed, this was probably going to be quite boring. He only hoped he could get this over with quick, so he could get Edward registered and go home.

The paperwork conspired against him though, taking almost 45 minutes more than he expected. But finally he signed his name once more, with a flourish and slid the last of the paper into the manilla folder it had all spilled forth from. He heaved a great sigh then, and the woman stood from the perch she had taken up at the small desk by the door.

"All finished then?" She beamed at him. He nodded, passing her the folder. "Well, thank you for coming in and doing that. I know you're not supposed to be in until monday, but this will really make things run _so_ much more smoothly till then, and then we can have everything set up for you when you and your team get here." The flirtatious note in her voice wasn't lost on Mustang, and he shook his head softly, but still smiled as he turned, watching her twirling a lock of hair around one finger for a minute. Then he crossed the room, opening the door to his office, getting ready to tell the blond it was time to go. He stopped short and a smile bled genuinely onto his face.

Edward was asleep on the small couch, bangs falling over his eyes, head pillowed on his flesh arm, shirt riding up to expose a sliver of skin on his midriff. Roy crossed the office in silence, gently pushing the golden bangs from his face. He heard a small noise at the door, and when he looked up he saw Sheera, a cooing look on her face.

"He's adorable general. Is he you're son?" Mustang smiled and shook his head.

"No, he was a gift from Lieutenant Colonel Hughes, in honor of my promotion. But he is quite cute." He shook the boy's shoulder gently, and laid a quick kiss on his forehead before whispering into the boy's ear. "Edward, wake up, we have to go get you registered so we can go home."

The boy yawned and stretched, blinking sleepily at the General, before shooting the woman at the door a slightly mistrustful glance. It made Mustang want to chuckle, but he stood instead, extending one hand for the boy to take, pulling him to his feet gently and guiding him to the door.

"Well Ms.Sheera, I believe I will see you soon, but for now we have much business to attend to." He paused at the door to the office and looked back. "You wouldn't happen to know where Mr.Hughes has run off to, would you?" He smiled when she shook her head politely and took his leave, glad to be out of that room. He looked down at the boy blinking sleepily next to him, smiling once again. He squeezed the boy's hand reassuringly, and they set off for the registration office, across the compound.

X

It had taken a bit more time that Mustang had thought to get the registration done as well, and he had still been in the clerk's office when Maes showed up, which was good because he came bearing the boy's papers, which were necessary for the process. Roy heaved a sigh of relief as the slim folder was handed to the teenage girl behind the desk, who popped her gum disinterestedly and went back to checking things on the forms, making sure the boy had gotten all of his shots, among other things. Maes leaned against the counter and grinned at his friend.

"Well General, did you get everything over with at the office? I hope the boy didn't cause you nay problems, must have been bored sitting around all day. Where is the little devil anyways?" Maes cast his eyes around, not finding the shock of blond hair or the bright red coat anywhere in the room. Mustang smiled.

"He's waiting in the hallway. He was fidgeting up a storm in here so i sent him to wait out there. Im afraid its taken a bit longer than I expected though,e specially without those papers. Things should finish up pretty quickly now, we're almost done."

"Any plans for the rest of the night then? You have a lot to do, there are houses to look at tomorrow after all." Maes smirked, and looked at Roy over his glasses.

"Yeah well, I figure we'll grab some dinner on the way home, the boy can cook but I don't have anything at the house yet anyways. Then ..." He trailed off and shrugged, blushing slightly when he was met with a knowing grin from his friend.

"Well Roy, don't forget to get a collar on the way home too, that way you'll have somewhere for the tags to go. You have to display them like that if you wanna bring him into work at least, they won't let him in during work hours otherwise." Hughes jingled the keys in his hand once again. "I can take you over if you want, I still have poor Brosche's motor pool car from this morning, why don't I drive you to home, hm? It'll be just like old times." Roy smiled, nodding his head a bit. Then the girl behind the counter cleared her throat, and handed him the folder, with the small metal identification tags inside. She rattled off the speech from memory, about how different styles and sizes could be ordered with the form she had stapled to the envelope, but the tags were required at all times, especially when on the base.

Roy nodded and thanked her, taking the folder and tucking it under his arm, thinking absentmindedly about what sort of collar to get for the boy. He had considered the option of a wristband instead, considering the marks on the boy's neck, but he wasn't sure whether that would go over well with the guards in his office, during work hours. He didn't want any more hassle for the boy after all. He

felt Hughes drape one arm over his shoulder as he pulled him towards the door.

"So where do you wanna go to get food my good friend, because there's this wonderful xingian takeout place over on Gibson, and its right across the street from that leather works, the one where me and Gracia got our wedding book bound." Hughes prattled on, and Mustang nodded, mostly ignoring him as they exited into the hallway.

The blonde was waiting right where he had been left, but there was a guard standing next to him, yelling at him. Roy strode up to the man quickly, stopping him in mid sentence, placing one reassuring hand on Edward's shoulder.

"Is there some sort of a problem here?" The guard snapped to attention when he saw the bars on Mustang's uniform, saluting crisply.

"Sir, this boy doesn't have any sort of clearance to be here, he says he belongs to someone here, an officer, but he has no tags, and no collar. I told him to get the hell out of here and stop playing games, but the little bitch won't move out, no matter what i do. I -" Mustang interrupted him curtly then.

"Yes, well, Edward here is my property, and I did indeed ask him to stand here while I was in the clerks office, though it did take a little longer than I had anticipated. His tags are right here, along with all of his paperwork. He is a new acquisition, but I assure you everything is in order, and he was only following my requests, as always." The soldier stepped down immediately at that, eyes going wide.

"I-Im sorry sir. Its just that he wouldn't move, he wouldn't tell me anything more, and-" Mustang broke in again.

"I will speak to him about that. You are dismissed."

"But Sir-"

"I _said_ you are dismissed soldier. If I have to tell you again I will have to have a conversation with your commanding officer, Mr..." He squinted to read the man's badge, "Banks, is it?" The man blanched and saluted once more before hurrying back to his post. Mustang bent down to Edward then, seeing the boy's mouth pressed into a tight line, his eyes a little wet, but he wasn't crying. Mustang smiled, squeezing the boy's shoulder lightly.

"That was good, Edward, almost exactly what you should have done. Next time, if someone like that gives you trouble over an instruction you can come get me, and I'll fix it. As for that, we have your tags here now, so that won't happen again." He shook his head, and straightened, taking hold of the boy's hand. "Now Hughes here is going to take us to dinner, then we're going to get you a collar and we're going home." Maes shook his head, then followed the pair out.

"Honestly, that man was just rude, calling darling edward here awful names and swearing. I'll say, lets get out of here."

X

Dinner had gone well, with Mustang deciding to eat in the restaurant instead of brining it home in exchange for Maes sticking around to help him pick out a collar for Edward, who stood silent and stoic through the whole meal, more oddly distant than usual. Roy had shrugged it off though, blaming teenage hormones or something of the sort. i _Maybe the kid's just tired /i _, then he thought of all the naps Edward had taken in the last couple days and shrugged. Teenagers were weird and unpredictable creatures, after all.

He sighed as he followed his friend into the leather works. They had left Edward in the car, figuring that the boy would do better sitting there in isolation than coming inside or waiting outside the store. He seemed to have bad luck with being out on his own, but Roy quickly reminded himself that this would change that. Once the boy was tagged and collared, he'd be seen by others as a proper slave. Then, Roy hoped, he would be viewed with a little less suspicion and derision, because he was a good boy really, and didn't deserve any of that.

He smiled at the thought of that, only half listening to Hughes prattling on about their choices. He shook his head at the first one the man picked up: thick and wide and red, it was sturdy, but it reminded Roy too much of the collar the boy had had in the beginning, and the welt that had been on his delicate neck when he removed it. The next one was a brighter red, more orange in tone, with a wide strap. It just looked gaudy, he shook his head. The next one was green, ornately braided, entirely too fussy for a teenage boy. Another veto. He drifted away from Hughes then, scanning the shelves, eyes falling on a collar on the shelf that he knew was perfect.

He grabbed it from the shelf, the black leather smooth on his hands, the strap thinner and loose, with a small rasp on the buckle, and option to lock it. It had a D-ring attached, for some sort of lead. Mustang's mind listed a few creative possibilities for it's use, causing him to blush, and almost put it back down. By then though, it was too late. Hughes had wondered over from wherever he'd been looking, no longer being the center of attention. The object was snatched from his hand before he could voice any protest on the matter, and the man inspected it.

"This is pretty good here, Royboy. The strap is thin, but not think enough to cut the skin when yanked, good pressure distribution. The color would look good with the boy's complexion, and there's a rasp for locking and attachment here, in case you need to leave him somewhere, or your worried he might run off. Not that that's really a problem for you, eh Roy?" The man smirked at him, making Mustang blush around the edges, mumbling something about treating the boy well that just made Maes chuckle.

He snatched the collar back form the man and steered him towards the checkout, watching him grab things along the way but not really caring much, as long as it got them out of here and home as fast as possible. He was _tired_ now, and he just wanted to go home, put the clean satin sheets on his own wonderfully comfortable bed and go to sleep. Maes chatted vapidly on as they left the store, the paper bag heavy in his hand. That was until he saw an adorable head of blonde hair pressed up against the car window where the boy had let his head fall in the back seat and he couldn't keep himself from smiling.

X

When Roy had finally hauled his ass in the front door of the new apartment, handing the key back to Edward and thinking they might want to get another one made if they didn't find a house in the next week, he felt absolutely drained. He sighed, throwing the bag on the table, following it soon with his uniform jacket, unbuttoning the shirt a little. He wandered into the kitchen, pouring himself a little drink before drifting back towards the bedroom. Edward was kneeling by the bed, tucking one of the satin sheets around the mattress as meticulously as he could, but not quite getting it right. Mustang smiled, putting his drink down on the night table, and putting his hand over the boy's. Golden eyes looked up a little anxiously, and he couldn't help stroking the boy's cheek gently.

"Here Edward, let me show you how to do that, so that next time you can get it right by yourself." Roy lifted the mattress corner slightly, tucking the edge into a neat hospital corner, slowly enough for the boy to follow the process. He stepped back and motioned for the boy to try the others on his own.

The corner he folded wasn't as crisp as Roy's, his hands were shaking a little, but the man smiled down at him anyways, and he felt himself relax a little bit. He went on, and Roy stepped out of the room for a second, coming back with the bag form the leather works under his arm. He leaned against the door and sipped his drink idly, watching as the boy finished making up the bed. When Edward smoothed the blanket on top into place he stepped back, folding his hands behind him, eyes on the floor, waiting for some sign that he had done well. He felt Roy's eyes on him, then heard the man cross the room again, placing the glass on the night table once more, and the crinkling paper bag down on the bed. One hand cupped his cheek, and the by only then allowed himself to look up into smiling eyes. He flushed slightly.

"That was good Edward, very very good. You may not do it perfectly, but you're trying and you're getting better, which is all I ask of you." The man sat down on the bed then, reaching out to touch the tanned wrist gently, leading the boy to stand in front of him. His hand fell to the bag, rustling gently and Edward felt himself tense involuntarily. He closed his eyes. i _Relax /i _.

X

When Edward was first taken, he had fought his keeper's bitterly, tooth and nail. It took three men to get him pinned down to put that first collar on, the training collar. It was thick and leather, with D-rings on every side for easier control over his movements. He had hated that collar, and everything about this new life he had been forced into, so it seemed only right to pull and thrash and test it's boundaries, as hopeless as he knew it was. At first they had tried to use physical force to break his rebellious streak, and they had taken to this method with gusto. Edward's collar was used as a handle, with leads and harnesses and other attachments made to break his will somehow. He had ended up with many welts and marks from this period, but they hadn't done much good.

It had taken a much more psychological bind to do the initial breaking, and that had come in the form of his brother. Alphonse hadn't done the things Edward had in the past, the boy had been much more cautious and pious and _good_. He was the boy's weakness though. Edward could take physical pain himself, he'd had to learn to, living where he'd lived, but Alphonse, well he had been sheltered by his brother fiercely. The mention of the younger boy's detention had caused the blonde terror to still.

Edward had thought it was a bluff at first, Al hadn't done anything, he was innocent, they wouldn't get him, it wasn't right. But life wasn't really fair, and all it had taken was a single lock of blonde hair, and a promise it would be something a little more vital next time, _that_ had stilled Edward. He had almost cried, made them promise, pleaded and agreed to anything. His brother needed to be free. Al would be able to have a good life without Edward there, he couldn't ruin the chances of that now. It was agreed that if he could fetch above a certain price that something would be sent to his brother. All the more incentive to be a good little boy, and so a good little boy he became.

Still the collar wasn't easy for him. The second time, they had tried to put the collar on him free, but he couldn't do it, and he got a sick sense of satisfaction out of the fact that he had to be tied or harnessed to be collared. He behaved as much as his pride would let him, and sometimes more, for the thinly veiled threats thrown his way. He didn't stay in training for long though, luckily enough for him. He was deemed as ready as he could be, training finished, but attitude not yet beaten down. They only laughed, and said someone would enjoy breaking him the rest of the way, deconstructing his spirit. They had whispered to him that he could be as rebellious as he wanted, once he was purchased, that someone would enjoy beating it out of him for real, someone not worried about breaking him and ruining his resale value.

They had warned him sternly then though, that if he were to be returned for any problems he might cause, that they would not be so worried about those things, that he might have need for a new automail piece or two by the time they were finished, but his brother, once he was found, would be in need of a hell of a lot more than that. So Edward had clenched his teeth, and given up his hope, and worked as hard as he could towards getting himself the best price possible, pleasing his captors until he was not theirs anymore. Still, the marks on his neck shown still, as a testament to the difficulty of his journey, both inside and out.

X

He whimpered slightly, as he felt the man shaking his shoulder gently.

"Edward? Are you okay?" The man looked at him with concern in his eyes and Edward wanted to cry. He wanted to be the best person he could, the best follower of this man's orders, for Mustang, for his brother, to prove to himself that he could. But part of him still thought that he couldn't. Submission did not come easy to Edward, the way the polite distance and calculated caring he had shown so far were. He could have done those things for anyone, his training had taken any shame or embarrassment from those acts, he no longer had such luxuries of his own. But this, this was different, and he had to squeeze his eyes shut and clench his jaw in anticipation of this act.

He waited for the cold, smooth slide of leather on his skin, the tight embrace of his neck, the tug to make sure it was secure. His hands were fisted in the sheet in front of him so tightly his knuckles had long since faded to blank white. But the feeling never came, instead there was a warm hand on his shoulder, and he looked up, confused, and somehow illogically a little hurt. He saw only concern still in those dark eyes. He couldn't look at hem anymore, so he hung his head, and he couldn't stop himself from crying any longer. Mustang just pulled him close, wrapping strong arms around the boy as he cried, rubbing reassuring little circles on his back through the shirt he still wore. Gradually, Edward felt himself relax into the contact. The man leaned his head down, whispering soft murmurs, comforting nonsense in the boy's ear until he stopped crying. Edward felt himself being slowly rocked, and it was as peaceful as he had been for awhile.

He pushed his face into the man's collarbone, wishing somehow that he could disappear without having to be let go. He knew that he couldn't disappoint the man, and it felt odd to him that this was the biggest cold slithering thing in his stomach right now. He didn't want to let Roy down. This man was his Master in the way none of the keepers and trainers and tamers of the ring had been, in the way no one had i _ever /i _ been before. It was with this that he relaxed away from the warm chest that supported him, no longer clinging to the man like a life raft. He had realized something: he i _trusted /i _ his Master more than he had ever trusted anyone. The man had had plenty of chances to take advantage of Edward, to force and cajole and demand, but he i _hadn't_. /i Instead he ahd whispered and courted and convinced, to the point that Edward felt nothing but comfortable, nothing but trusting. The man looked down at him questioningly then, but Edward did nothing but smile weakly, kneeling up at Mustang's feet and leaning his head forwards, over the man's lap.

"Edward, I know this is hard for you, but you don't have to do it if you don't want. Im not sure exactly what it is that you're scared of here, but tell me and I'll wait." Edward flinched slightly at those words. Maybe he was afraid, okay so maybe he was terrified. But he needed to do it anyways. He shook his head mutely, took a deep breath and waited. He felt Roy's fingers on his neck, touching softly, and he leaned into the contact, eager to show the man he could deal with this, all of this. It would all be okay. His voice was weak, and it cracked when he spoke, but still, he opened his mouth.

"Do it, please, just do it." The fingers left his neck then, and he clenched the sheets again at the rustling of the paper bag, and the sound of the metal buckle clanking almost made him change his mind. i _No, no, no. I'm stronger than that, I can _do_ this if I want to /i ._ The irony of the situation hit him then, he had always thought that this would be a sign of weakness, this kind of supplication. Yet it took every ounce of strength he had, and he knew then that he i _had /i _ to do it, that he would do it. He had to be strong, for himself, to show Mustang, to prove he was serious.

Then cold leather touched his skin and he flinched slightly, all other thoughts fleeing his mind as the collar was set on his skin. His breathing quickened as the pale fingers secured the buckle, setting the rasp closed without locking it. He sat for a second there, just feeling it. The band was loose on his neck, not tight and biting, the hands had been gentle, fingers trailing down to cup him cheek then, steering his face up until he met dark, dark eyes above, questioning, a smile on the man's face. Then his Master was bending, laying delicate kisses on his forehead and cheeks and Edward knew he had done right. He had made his Master happy like he had never before done, he had given him something he hadn't given anyone, which seemed fitting as Mustang was himself the first to give the boy such a firm but gentle guiding hand, he was the first to truly govern the boy.

Edward couldn't help but smile slightly when the man pulled lightly, beckoning him to stand, before pulling him forwards, onto the bed, straddling Mustang's lap like they had done before. Mustang pulled his face down softly, laying lips on his, cupping the boy's face, trailing hands down his shoulders to wrap around his back, underneath his tank, peeling it upwards and over the blond's head. Edward felt electric then, like currents passed through him from every point his Master touched, and that word in Edward's brain gained a new weight and shape, a new feel, and he had a new appreciation for it.

His fingers were shaky as he reached for Mustang's buttons, taking the shirt the rest of the way undone tentatively, looking for some sign from the man to stop or keep going. He wanted to feel the warm, solid shape of the man under his palms though, he wanted to memorize every inch. Mustang moaned when he skated the cool automail over a hardening nipple, and Edward returned to that spot, leaning forwards to catch the bud in his mouth, gently suckling, drawing more cries from his Master. He relished these cries, because he knew they meant he was doing something right, he was doing something good for the man.

He shifted his seat atop Mustang then, and he felt the bulge in the man's uniform pants, and he let out a small gasp, inadvertently. He was still surprised, and a little bit proud, that he could cause that, that the perfect General would want i _him /i _, when Maes said he could have anyone he wanted, and Edward was inclined to agree. He let himself be flipped over then, feeling the weight of the man on top of him, all solid muscle and grace and poise. It was making him aroused as well, and he wiggled a little under Mustang's weight, moaning quietly at the feeling of the friction he caused.

Then the warm lips attached themselves to the boy's neck, and slowly began moving down over his chest, down his stomach, carefully so as not to tickle the boy beneath him, stopping at his belly button, mouthing it slowly as he snapped open the boy's leather pants, shimmying them down his hips and off, underwear carried along with them. Edward whimpered louder at this, the brushes to his hardness now not quite enough for him. Mustang smirked into the boy's stomach and worked his mouth back up to Edward's face, dropping little kisses on his chin and cheeks and forehead, leading back to the warmth of his mouth.

The small keening sounds broke free of Edward's throat as Mustang wrapped one hand around his length. He couldn't help bucking his hips slightly into the man's hand, which made Roy smile into the boy's mouth. He moved his fingers up to his mouth then, sucking them in before offering them to the boy. Edward looked slightly confused but took them anyway, swirling his tongue around them, making Mustang moa quietly at the sensation. It took a minute for him to regain the what senses he had once had, removing the fingers from the boy's mouth and trailing them down his body lightly until they reached the cleft of his toned, tanned ass.

Edward's eyes grew wide when the finger circled his hole, but he did his best to stay still and calm. He whimpered slightly when the finger pushed into him, too dry to be comfortable on the achingly tight ring of muscle. But Edward stilled himself, grabbing his Master's shoulder tightly, burying his head in the man's collar bone. Mustang moved the finger within him slowly, pumping it in and out slowly, before adding another. Edward winced, but bit back any noise he would have made. It was the third finger that made him cry out, clutching Mustang so tightly he might have worried about hurting hm had he been able to think right then. The man pulled the fingers out then, noticing the boy's reaction.

"Edward, we don't have to do that if you're not ready. I'd rather wait until you want to do this, not force you. There are plenty of other things we can do here." Edward just shook his head, eyes pressed closed.

"No,no Master, I want to, I really do. Now, here, with you, it's just hard is all, I've - I've never done that before, any of that, and I don't want to disappoint you." His face flushed then, and his voice was unsteady and nervous. "Besides, I've heard it can be quite nice when done correctly, and I have no doubt you can do it right." Roy just smiled and kissed the boy, spitting once into his hand and starting over, the first finger not hurting at all this time, just making the boy shift a little in discomfort. The second was the same, and the third still hurt, but Edward just smiled up at Roy. He trusted the man after all, enough to wear his collar, enough to be his servant, enough to call him Master.

The fingers inside of him scissored then, catching a small bundle of nerves, causing Edward's slight moans to change tone and volume, becoming a sign of pleasure not pain. He was panting slightly soon, and when he caught sight of the bulge in the man's uniform pants he could barely control the groan.

" i Ah /i , Master. I think I'm as close to ready as I can get. I need to feel you now, please?" Roy laid a kiss on the boy's shoulder, hiding his smile before bending to maneuver himself from his pants. He shifted the boy then, laying him on the stomach while the man aligned with his tight little entrance.

He eased forwards a little then, and he didn't know it could i _feel /i _ this good, clutching at him greedily, like he would change his mind any second. He forced himself to wait then, slowly easing himself into the boy and pausing when he got to the hilt, feeling for the boy's body relaxing around him. It was all the signal he needed.

Mustang drew himself back out of the boy before thrusting back in. It was incredible. There was nothing on the same level as this, at least not something Mustang had ever felt. He crashed his hips against the blond's hard and fast, the plasure mounting in his gut. He reached down then, taking the boy's hardness in his hand and pumping it in time with the thrusts of his hips.

Edward came first, whimpering and keening his pleasure, his muscles tightening, coating his stomach and chest lightly with seed. It was this that drew Mustang over the edge himself, sliding in the boy's juices, he came with a small choked cry. It was fantastic then, to let the boy do whatever he wanted. Neither had the ability or desire to rise then, so they sat on the apartment floor, holding each other, and wishing they didn't have to part so soon.


End file.
